What Makes A Man
by Ghost of a faulted being
Summary: With Thedas on the brink of destruction, Cremisius Aclassi has to prove he has what it takes to be a man and save the woman he loves.
1. Chapter 1

"Have them check again. Don't want any of those Tevinter bastards getting away. No offence, Krem."

I strained myself trying to listen to the voices around me, my younger brother clinging to me inside the old, fallen tree.

"None taken. At least a bastard knows who his mother was. Puts him one up on you Quinari, right?"

I gasped. A Quinari and a Tevinter working together was the last thing I had ever expected. But of course with the sky torn open, I suppose anything was possible.

"What was that?" I heard a voice ring out from beside the tree.

"What are you going on about, Dalish?" Came another.

As my brother began tugging at my robes, I rested a hand on his back. "Hush, Vhenan."

"A voice. Over here." The voice began growing closer, along with the rustling of footsteps and I held my breath to keep as quiet as possible. The footsteps stopped and I breathed out, only to be met by the splintering of wood by an axe, which quickly gave way.

I screamed and held my brother close. I squeezed my eyes shut tight, opening them to see several faces staring at me. "Please!" I spoke out. "Do not hurt us." Glancing around, I spotted dead Tevinter soldiers littering the beach. "We are not Tevinter. We only wish to-"

"What are you lot doing over here?" I cast my glance upward to the approaching man. He looked down at us and his brow furrowed. "Move! All of you. Let me through." He quickly made his way to us and knelt. "Who are you?"

"Please, ser. I am called Aaleigha. This is my younger brother Phillip. We are from a Dalish clan north of here, in the Free Marches. We only wish to go to Haven. To join the inquisition." I looked down, my nostrils flaring.

The man smiled softly at me. "You've nothing to fear from the Chargers. I am Krem."

"Krem!" Came a voice from behind him. "Tell the men to finish drinking on the road. The Chargers just got hired."

Krem stood and turned to face the voice that I dare not look to. "What about the casks, Chief? We just opened them up! With axes."

"Find a way to seal them. You're Tevinter, right? Try blood magic."

I gasped and grabbed first for Phillip, then my staff on the ground beside me. "You're a maleficar?"

"No!" Krem held his hands out. "No. It's just an ongoing joke with the Chief. I'm not even a Mage."

My face softened as I heard a burst of laughter from the Quinari man. I dropped my head as well as my staff and stood. "Please. I ask that if you are on your way to Haven, you at least take my brother."

A taller man knelt next to Phillip. "Well then Boy, can your little legs keep up?"

I felt my brother cling tighter to my leg. "He doesn't speak your language, Shem." I managed, wrapping a protective arm around him for comfort.

"Enough, Stitches." Krem said, shaking his head. "You'll both come with us. We're headed to Haven ourselves, anyway."

"Thank you, Ser." I swallowed the lump in my throat and breathed a sigh of relief. "We will try to make ourselves useful."

* * *

><p>As we approached a large gate, I felt myself let out a soft gasp. I had lived my whole life on Sundermount with my clan and had never been permitted to travel, and the human structures were magnificent. I stared upward at the large stone building looming overhead and protectively reached for Phillip.<p>

"That's the Chantry." Krem informed me, following my gaze. "The place of worship. I can show you the inside later, if you like."

I smiled up at the building with a nod. "I would like that." I looked first to Krem, then to my brother who clung tightly to my leg, still gawking up at the Chantry. "I suppose I should find a place to stay first, though." I took hold of his hand and inhaled deeply. "Thank you again, Krem. We may not have made it without you. Come Vhenan." I tugged my brother toward the gate to Haven and waved good-bye to the chargers.

I stood at the top of a flight of steps looking around when I felt a tug on my tug. "Lethallin!" I looked down to my brother who was pointing to a woman just a few feet away.

The woman looked to us and I immediately grabbed at the boy's free hand. "Din, Da'len! It is not kind to point. Abelas, my lady." I bowed my head, but looked back to her when I noticed a green light being emitted from her left hand. I gasped and knelt with wide eyes. "You're her! The Herald!" I glanced over her, my eyes resting first on her ears, then on the tattoo lining her forehead. "You are Elvhen!"

"Aaleigha?" My eyes widened more. "That is you, isn't it?"

"Yes, Hahren. We have met?" The Herald only grinned and she made her way to where I knelt and reached to help me stand. As she approached, something in the back of my mind reached out to me. "Allena! You're the Herald?" I gave a light chuckle as I threw my arms around her.

"You two know each other, I take it?"

I turned to see Krem standing behind us, his back against a wall.

"We're from the same clan." Allena began, taking a step toward him. "You two know each other as well?"

"We found her and her brother in a fallen tree on the Storm Coast."

"What in the world were you doing there?"

"We were on our way here when we got caught in the crossfire between the Tevinter slavers and the Chargers." I rested my hand on Phillip's shoulder as I spoke. "Thank you for the whole, not killing us thing once again, Krem."

He chuckled with a nod. "Well, now that I know you're friends with the Herald, I imagine it would have caused more than a few issues if we had. Herald, you'll find them a place to stay, won't you?"

"They will be well taken care of."


	2. Chapter 2

I peeked out from around the corner of the small mount stall just in time to see Krem pick up the basket I had left. We had been in Haven now for six months and every day I had made a point to make lunch for him and leave it in his spot next to Iron bull for when he got back. I was well aware of the fact that he knew it was I leaving the basket every day, for every night around the same time the basket would appear on my doorstep with a small flower placed inside.

Krem smiled as he reached into the basket. "You don't have to hide every day, you know." I felt my cheeks flush as he looked up to the stable. Inhaling deeply, I took a step out and slowly made my way to where he stood. "I wouldn't mind the company, but you always seem to hurry off."

"I always assumed you enjoyed the solitude." I stated quietly, sitting down next to him.

Krem shrugged and took a bite of bread. "I suppose every now and again I do, but what man doesn't?" He swallowed the mouthful before grinning toward where the rest of the Chargers sat. "Besides, when the prettiest thing you've got to look at all day is Rocky, you would want something nicer to look at, too."

I giggled lightly behind my hand and glanced to Rocky who winked. "I suppose you don't have to go through the trouble of returning my basket either."

"It's no trouble." Krem smiled and I cast my glance downward. "Oh, but you won't get your flower this way."

I shrugged as I picked at a piece of grass. "Maybe you could show me where you get them sometime?" I bit my bottom lip and looked up at Krem from beneath my eyelashes.

A grin took his face as he gave me a curt nod. "What about later today? When the sun begins to lower, I'll come get you."

I stood and nodded, the heat rising in my cheeks. "I'll see you then." With that I turned and headed toward the chantry.

Once inside I peered around. Seeing no sign of Allena, I turned to the first person I recognized. "Bull!" I called out with a grin. "What are you doing in here?"

Iron Bull shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. "Just waiting. The boss is in the war room. I heard they're looking to get that hole in the sky closed. Today."

I raised my eyebrows and stared blankly at him. "You can't be serious."

Bull shrugged again as the sound of opening doors filled my ears. I turned to see Allena walking toward me. "Well, Boss?" Bull rang out.

"We leave shortly for the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Gather your chargers." With that, Iron Bull left without so much as a glance back. "Aaleigha, this is happening now. We can't put this off anymore. I want you and Phillip to stay in the house, do you understand me?"

I nodded slowly before raising an eyebrow. "You've great timing, you know. I was just coming to ask if you would look after Phillip while I'm out with Krem this evening." I felt the heat begin to rise as Allena scoffed.

"Krem? The charger? The Tevinter?" I shrugged and bit my bottom lip. "Tell you what. I make it through this, if this thing closes, if we win, I'll be more than happy to keep an eye on him. But if I don't, if I fail-"

"Allena." I stopped her, a light smile on my face. "You've always been so much stronger that you believed you were. You can do this. Even Keeper Marethari believes so."

Allena's face lit up in shock. "You've spoken to the keeper?"

"I wrote to her a few months ago to let her know we were safe."

She smiled at me and breathed a sigh of relief. "Ma serannas."

I only nodded before heading to the door and off toward the little wooden house I shared with my brother. I opened the door slowly to see Solas sitting on the floor with Phillip. "Andaran atish'an, Vhenan." I smiled at the small boy who stood eagerly.

"Andaran atish'an, Sister!"

I raised and eyebrow and turned to Solas. "He wanted to lean the Shemlen tongue. I taught him only a little."

"Well, he had better start learning sometime, I suppose. Ma serannas, Solas."

Solas nodded. "I suppose you spoke with Allena. Has she come to a decision on the rift yet?"

"She's leaving shortly. I'm sure she will want you there with her."

Solas nodded, a hint of red dusting his cheeks. "I'll take my leave then. Dareth shiral, Da'len."

I nodded and turned from the door toward Phillip as Solas took his leave. "Garas, Vhenan." I held out a hand for my brother to join me at the window and wait for whatever would happen next.

"Sister?" I looked to the boy now in my lap with a soft smile. "Krem go, too?"

I blinked, caught of guard and finally nodded slowly. "Yes, Da'len. Krem went with them." The boy turned and looked back out the window without another word.

* * *

><p>"Sister?"<p>

"Hush, Da'len. Hamin." I sat at the small desk in the corner of the house, just waiting. The chargers had left nearly two hours ago. The sun was setting and I was beginning to worry. I had been so entranced in thought, I almost didn't hear...

_Knock knock knock  
><em>I gasped and stood, knocking over the chair in the process. I rushed to the door and swung it open with a hopeful look.

"Sorry I'm late." Krem grinned sheepishly at me. It wasn't until I had my arms wrapped tightly around him that I realised what I was doing and took a step back, clearing my throat.

"Sorry. I just uh..." I looked down and swallowed the lump in my throat. "I got worried."

"Second string then, am I?" Allena grinned at me from behind Krem.

"Allena!" Phillip ran past me and into the Herald's arms.

"Andaran atish'an, Da'len." Allena chuckled. "Go on, Aaleigha. I'll watch him."

"Ma serannas. Be good, Vhenan." I kissed the top of my brothers head as he nodded at me and with that, Krem and I were off.

We walked down the steps and out past the many sparring soldiers toward a small wooded area. Neither of us talked for many minutes, but I finally broke the silence.\

"So what happened? At the temple, I mean."

Krem shrugged. "It worked. The rift closed. I suppose we haven't actually won yet, but we're that much closer."

"When we do win, what will the chargers do?" I glanced up at him, my hands intertwined behind my back.

"We'll follow the chief." Krem tilted his head as he spoke. "Just because the immediate danger here is gone doesn't mean we're done. Bull will get reassigned and we'll follow him."

I nodded slowly, looking down. As I did, I caught a glance of something in my peripheral vision. "Are these...?"

"Yeah, this is where I pick the flowers." He knelt, plucking a purple flower from the ground and pushing my hair back from my face, pinning it behind my ear with the flower. I blushed and looked down, unable to stop the smile from spreading across my face. "There. Beautiful."

Krem returned my smile as he leaned in close. I did the same, my breath catching in my throat. As I did, I saw something move behind Krem.

I gasped and pulled my staff off my back. "Templars!"

"What?" Krem turned, drawing his sword. "Those are no normal templars."

As he spoke, one of the templars saw us. He turned and made his way to us. He was larger than a normal human and he seemed to have glowing bits of red sticking out from his skin.

"What in the Creator's name is that?" I sent a bolt of energy flying from my staff, crashing into the templar's face. He fell back off his feet for long enough for Krem to grab my hand.

"Run!" He commanded, pulling me along behind him. We ran as fast as we could manage, just in time to see a trebuchet launch toward the mountain.

"Allena!"

"Aaleigha! Get to the house! Krem! Find Iron Bull!" We both nodded, and gave each other one final look before heading out separate ways.

I made my way to my house and slipped inside quickly.

"Sister!" Phillip ran to me, clinging to my leg tightly.

"Hush, Vhenan. It'll be okay." I hugged the boy tightly to myself.

From outside came a loud, monstrous noise. I peeked out the window and gasped, hurrying as far away from it as I could.

"Sister?" The boy asked, looking up at me, his eyes large.

"Dragon..." Was all I could manage.

At that moment, a large crackling sound jarred my thoughts and a plank of wood from the ceiling fell in front of us, encased in a wall of fire. I looked up to see the rest of the ceiling above also ablaze and let a scream. As I glanced around the house, the fire began to spread. I screamed again, followed by a scream from Phillip.

"Aaleigha?!" I heard the voice from behind me on the other side of the wall.

"Krem we're trapped!"I cried, holding the boy tighter.

"I'll get you out, stand back!" I backed up as much as I could as an ax splintered through the wood at the wall. As soon as a big enough hole was through, I ushered Phillip through it. A large crack caught my attention and I looked up just in time to see another flaming board fall across the hole Krem had made. "Aaleigha!"

"Sister!"

I stared at the area where the hole was, my eyes wide in disbelief. "Krem?"

"Aaleigha, hold on! I'll get you out!" He began hacking away with his ax, causing more and more of the ceiling to collapse.

"Krem no! With every strike, the house caves inward."

"But I-"

"It's alright, Krem. You saved Phillip. That's what matters." I breathed in deeply, but instantly began choking on the smoke.

"No! I-"

"Keep him safe."

"Aaleigha!"

"Back up!" A different voice struck out. Within a moment, the wall came crashing down and I was plucked from the inside just before the ceiling gave out and came crashing down altogether. I stood, stunned and turned to see Bull swing his hammer over his shoulder. "Krem, take them to the chantry. Keep them safe. The boss has a plan for getting them all out of here. You go with them. We'll catch up as soon as we can."

I gawked at Iron Bull for a moment before turning to Krem. He wore a look of worry mixed with resent that I could not place.

"You heard the chief." He said softly. "Let's move!" He shouted to the rest of the chargers.

I lifted Phillip into my arms and began running for the chantry as fast as I could. Once inside I made my way to Krem. "Thank you." I managed with a smile.

"For what?" He spat. I stared at him, an expression of shock locked on my face. "I did nothing."

"You saved my brother." I began. "You saved me."

"Ha!" He turned from me and started toward Commander Cullen. "That was The Iron Bull. Not me."


	3. Chapter 3

I shivered against the cold snow of the Frostback Mountains and breathed on my hands in a feeble attempt to warm them. Haven was destroyed and Allena had seemed to just return from the dead. I watched as the entirety of Haven had been buried under a wall of snow. But somehow in the middle of the night Allena, the mighty Herald of Andraste, had come staggering through the snow, as though back from the Fade itself.

I stood and bent my knee with the Inquisition to Allena. And now we were in search of a new home for all of us. We certainly couldn't sleep in the snow forever.

I glanced to Phillip who shivered on his bedroll beside me. With a heavy sigh I took my own blanket and wrapped it snugly around him before lying back down and attempting to sleep.

I opened my eyes several hours later to find a blanket tucked delicately around my body. Glancing at the child next to me, I noted that he still had two blankets wrapped around himself. I looked around curiously, my eyes finally resting on one particular bedroll directly across from mine. There Krem knelt, carefully rolling his bed and sliding it onto his pack. As I looked closer, I noticed the lack of blanket with the bedroll.

Standing slowly, I carefully made my way to him and cleared my throat. "Krem?" I called softly.

"What." He bit back.

I winced and held out the blanket to him. "Is this yours?" He snatched the blanket from my hand and tossed it haphazardly into his pack. I stood there for a moment longer and finally let a soft sigh. "Thank you." I said sadly before turning and making my was back to where Phillip was just waking up.

* * *

><p>Skyhold was everything I could have hoped for and more. A true kingdom that seemed lost to the ages. The perfect place for the Inquisition to live. To thrive. That day Allena picked up a sword. The sword of a leader. Just like that Allena, who was like an older sister to me, went from being a sheltered Dalish Elf from the Free Marches to being a leader. Royalty. The Inquisitor we all needed and deserved.<p>

I stood in the tavern, Phillip's hand in mine. "Please, Ser." I begged. "There must be something I can do. Some way to put a roof over my brother's head. He's too small to do anything himself, but I can work hard. I swear I can. I can serve ale, clean, whatever you want me to do.

The dwarf glanced first to Phillip, then up to me with a nod. "Okay kid. But you work for this." He tossed me a broom and nodded toward the stairs. "The second floor is a mess. Go."

I heaved a sigh of relief and nodded vigorously. "Thank you, Ser." I knelt down next to Phillip with a wide smile. "Go find Solas. He will watch over you."

The boy ran off, leaving me to head up the stairs with a broom with only my thoughts to distract me. That is, until a voice interrupted those thoughts.

"What has been going on with you, Krem De La Crème?" Bull asked from the floor below. "That poor girl has been nothing but nice to you."

"What girl?" Krem spat back.

"Don't give me that." Bull replied, his tone taking an edge. "Alleigha adores you. And her brother looks up to you more than anyone."

I peeked over the rail to see Krem sit down on a chair in the corner and turn his head.

"Don't ignore me, Krem! She is the sweetest person in the world to you. Stop being such an asshole."

"I'm not being an asshole." Krem mumbled.

"Oh really? Angry tones, ignoring her, yelling at her, that's not being an asshole?" Bull shot sarcastically.

"Not when I can't protect her!" Krem stood and clenched his fists, shaking in anger, or possibly disappointment.

Bull stood, staring at him in disbelief. "What?"

"Back in Haven," Krem began, "She was trapped in that burning house and I couldn't save her."

"Krem, she got out. What does it matter how-"

"It just matters, okay?!" Krem shouted furiously. "If I can't protect her, I don't deserve her. That's all there is to it."

"Really?!" I shouted angrily from over the rail. Krem looked up at me from below, his eyes wide in horror. "I've had to endure thinking that you absolutely _despised_ me because of your blighted pride?!" He opened his mouth as if to say something, but I cut him off. "Don't you dare. Don't you _dare_ make excuses. My brother, a _child_ looks up to you. What do you think will happen when he sees you treat me like dirt for your own blighted pride?" I stomped down the steps, my eyes burning from the tears threatening to spill over the brim. "You can't save everyone, Krem."

"I don't want to save everyone! Only you." He shot back, causing me to take an uncertain step back.

"I can't always be saved. You have to understand that." I sated softly. "No one's destiny is certain. We're all part of the Creators' plan. When it's time for us to go, we go. There's nothing we can do about that." I reached for his hand and his eyes shot up to me, bloodshot. "If ever I pass because you, 'couldn't save me,' it won't be your fault. It will just have been my time."

"I can't lose you." He sniffed, pulling his hand from mine.

"Cherish what you have while you have it." I said softly, taking another step forward. "That's what my mum always used to say."

Krem turned to look at me, his features soft. He stood there for a moment, just looking at me before taking me in his warm embrace. "I'm sorry." He whispered with a sniffle.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and sighed contently into his chest. Everything will work out on its own, Krem. Don't try to force things.

Krem nodded and glanced at Bull over my shoulder who gave him a soft smile before leaving the two of us by ourselves.

"Hey!" called a gruff voice from behind us. I turned to glance at the dwarf behind the bar. "What did I tell you about cleaning that floor up there?"

I grinned at Krem before picking up my broom and hurrying back up the stairs.


End file.
